Increasingly, old age is considered a disease to be treated by pharmaceuticals. Not just conditions like Alzheimer’s, but also normally occurring complaints: increased fatigue, wrinkles, hair loss, menopause, and – dare I say it – low T. You know what I’m talking about, guys. Low testosterone and decreased sex drive.
According to a 2006 study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, average testosterone levels in the United States have dropped by one percent each year. The aging – and waist thickening – of American men has a lot to do with it more than other factors. Despite non-drug remedies, and inevitability (because of age), prescriptions for “cures” have skyrocketed. Ladies, take note. A safer, saner way to liven up your nightlife is to send your man jogging during the day!
While drug companies (and everyone buying testosterone-boosting drugs) are inclined to see male aging as a disease, it’s gratifying that men over 60 just happen to be the fastest growing sector in America’s workforce (women over 60 are second). According to Elizabeth Fideler, author of Men Still at Work: Professionals Over Sixty and on the Job – and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – “Labor force participation by older age groups… people age 55 and over who are working or looking for work, has been escalating.”
While it’s easy to assume oldies are working longer because of the continued economic crisis, Fideler notes that many in their 50s and 60s (not to mention 70s and 80s) are choosing to work rather than retire. Fideler authored the similarly titled Women Still at Work, regarding the same age demographic, in 2012. Her findings in both cases are remarkably similar. “The population age sixty-five and older is singled out for the fastest increase as a percentage of the total U.S. population during the one hundred years from 1950 to 2050.” Barring natural disasters or zombie apocalypse, the over-60 population will number 92 million in 2060, leading one official to label the trend the “Silver Tsunami.”
This grey-haired, extreme weather event has affected America’s workforce, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In the eyes of many employers, older workers are valued for their skills, expertise, experience, maturity, good work habits, and very importantly, for showing up and doing the job! Consider that people 60 and older were raised in an era where “work” wasn’t a dirty word. Whereas many studies show that younger people place more value on life outside of work, older workers often see work life as rich and satisfying.
Citing a study by Gordon Shea and Adolf Haaasen (authors of The Older Worker), Fideler suggests that 60-somethings are “a valuable resource whose capabilities and talents are increasingly important to workplaces and society.” Eliminating oldies from offices and workstations means eliminating know-how from which younger workers can learn.
Fideler also notes that some employers harbor negative stereotypes, believing that older workers will be less productive, more resistant to change, more costly due to health problems, and less likely to get the hang of new technologies. But considering that eight out of 10 workers in the 55 and older category tend to stay with current employers, citing, according to Fideler, “enjoying the work,” and “work-life fit,” smart employers might rethink these stereotypes. Compared, once again, to younger workers who tend to be more transient, the 55 to 60-plus employee might mean less money and time spent on turnover and training.
Not all older men choose to work longer just because they’re having so much fun. Many, under financial constraints, have to keep working to support themselves, and often their families. Fideler identifies a wide range of other reasons for deciding not to retire including financial need and notions of self-worth, not to mention the fact that, for men, working productively (whether you’re young or old) has long been associated with ideas of manhood (could that also explain increased sales for low T-count remedies?).
It’s refreshing that Fideler bases her findings on actual research. Profiles of 60-somethings still on the job are both inspiring and informative. While my own 60-something dream plan involves a sandy beach, chances are I’ll be writing this column long into my own silver tsunami years. It’s good to know I’ll have plenty of company. QCBN
By Constance DeVereaux
Quad Cities Business News
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